[Eri’s Point of View]

The rays of the morning sun started lighting the room, causing me to stir awake. As my eyes adjusted to the new light, I could feel a slight weight on my chest, and what I saw there was a beautiful girl who looked like a doll that could break if you held her too tight. Her long white hair flowed down her back, her white porcelain skin shining in the morning rays. Her majestic appearance caused my heart to flutter and my cheeks to warm. Her cute ears twitched, tickling my cheek, and her fluffy tail swayed gently, showing she was having a sweet dream.

This girl who I finally reunited with after 8 years is my childhood friend, my soul mate, my reason to live, and my princess. Her name is Hina Tachibana, the daughter of the great fox spirit and the most respected person in the supernatural world, Kyoko Tachibana.

As I gently patted Hina-sama, listening to her purr in her sleep, I started remembering the time I first met her and the days that followed.

When I first met Hina-sama, I had just lost my parents in a car accident. They were loyal servants to my mistress, Kyoko-sama, and because I had no other family to take me in, Kyoko-sama took me in and had me become her daughter’s personal servant. When I first saw Hina-sama, I was awestruck by her caring nature and cute demeanor. However, I continued to be reserved and only did the things I was told to as a servant. I felt that I didn’t have the right to stand beside Hina-sama as her friend. However, that all changed about three months after I met her. I became overwhelmed by the feelings I was holding from my parents' death. I ran from my duties, I ran away from the house, I was just trying to run away from everything. When I finally stopped running, I found myself lost in the woods behind the house, and I could hear a gentle voice singing in the distance. The beautiful sound was so mesmerizing that I found myself searching for the source, and what I found was a beautiful young girl sitting on a rock singing, with the animals of the forest listening to her just as mesmerized as I was. When she noticed I was watching her, she gave a bright and warm smile and said,

“Come here, Eri. We are alone now. You don’t have to hide your tears anymore, you don’t have to keep me at a distance. I want to be your friend, I want to be there for you when you need it. So don’t be afraid. It is just us here, and no one will find out if you don’t want them to.”

I wanted to deny her words, but I couldn’t hold my feelings in anymore. I no longer ran away, but rather ran into her open arms. Feeling her warmth caused the dam to burst, and I cried for what felt like hours in her arms as she continued to sing different melodies.

That day, I vowed I would always be with her, that I would proudly stand side by side with her as her servant and best friend. I started taking my servant training seriously, even asking Sebas, Kyoko-sama's personal servant, to train me. Two years passed by in the blink of an eye, and one day I was told by my mistress that I wouldn’t be able to see Hina-sama again for a long time, that her memories of us would be sealed away, along with her identity. I wasn’t told the reason why, nor was I allowed to tell Hina-sama what I learned. I was just promised that I would get to see her and be with her again when her seal broke on her 16th birthday.

The day came for Hina-sama to leave, she had tears in her eyes, not understanding anything that was happening. Then they sealed her, and she became a completely different person, a person I didn’t know or recognize. I cried out for her from the house.

After they left, the house became less lively and fun to be in. Kyoko-sama cried for days, and then made herself busy trying to accomplish everything she had to do in order for Hina-sama to come back home.

I was depressed for days on end, no longer focusing on my training or taking care of myself. That was when Sebas shook some sense into me,

“Eri, is this really what you want to be doing? Don’t you think Hina-sama would be sad if when she comes home and seeing you all depressed and no longer the person that she remembered? Don’t you think we are all sad and wishing to see our princess once again? This is the time for you to work hard and train so that you can stand proudly side by side with our princess once again when she comes home.”

He was right, so I once again made my vow, and now here I am lying beside my princess once again.

I gently moved her hair and kissed her cheek, then whispered, “I am so glad you are finally home; I love you, my Princess.”